I did something crazy yesterday. I fasted the Internet all day!!! I found out it is easier for me to fast food than it is to fast the Internet.
That may seem trivial to you. But when you are wound tight like I am, that compulsive behavior can get you involved in so much stuff, you can’t hear God speak to you.
I read Ezra Chapter four yesterday and found a phrase that jumped off the page in verses 4,5:
Ezra. 4:5 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,
Ezra 4:5 And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia. (emphasis mine)
The enemies came to frustrate their purpose. I believe every child of God has a purpose for them being on this earth. I do not believe in predestination the way it has been taught over the last several hundred years, that God already knows who will go to heaven and who will go to hell. Romans 8 is clear that God has predestined to have a people conforming to His image…but He also gives us the opportunity to chose who we will serve.
When you begin to understand you have a destiny, a reason to live, a reason to serve God, an assignment will come from your adversaries (read vs.1) to frustrate your purpose. Notice the adversaries came against the children of the captivity of Judah and Benjamin; God is raising up a people who have a heart to worship and praise God and also have no desire to play the religious game or tow the party line; a people who are after God’s heart and not impress a denominations leadership; a people whose only desire is to get to the right hand of God (Benjamin= son of my right hand)
I want to encourage everyone today who is frustrated: hold on to your promise! You do have a purpose! God has called you to serve Him and to do a work for Him because He trusts you fulfill what He has called you to do!
Be faithful where you are! And when it is over, we will receive a crown of life that will not fade away! The frustration cannot last forever!
Technorati Tags: adversity, faithfulness, destiny
What a word for me!
Thanks…
Such a powerful WORD! Thanks for hearing form God and sharing.
Amen David. Great word of encouragement.
In your podcast you said you may be moving soon. Where to?
Wow! I was driving home from work yesterday, and I sensed the Holy Spirit suggesting a “media fast.” However, I shrugged it off because the fasts in the Word concerned food (and I like my media involvement) … but, I had heard respected teachers who fast not just food, but in other areas as they are led by the Holy Spirit. And, you will find this amazing, but I was troubled by my thoughts that a “media fast” might be more difficult for me than food; and consequently, a more powerful effect for me. Your post was confirming the thoughts of my heart … whew!
Weston,
when God begins to prod us to do unusual things (such as a media fast) you can be guarenteed to recieve an unusual anointing/manifestation of His Presence!
I understand…the Lord had me leave a position that I was getting wound so tight that I was ready to blow. The Holy Spirit hit me so hard and said do it now and nobody uderstands. I also was lead by the Holy Spirit to stop watching the news, music and all media the other day and WOW….what a blessing this has all turned out to be…..Sometimes I think is it really the Holy Spirit or is it me….WELL, what a blessing this has all turned out for me….PTL! We all need to fast the internet, media and whatever the Holy Spirit speaks to us about. Listen to that tug on the heart and listen carefully and pray about it.